1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to internet web browsers. More particularly, the invention concerns an internet web browser configured to sense a predetermined input, such as cursor proximity to a hyperlink, and in response to present a report of various characteristics from past visits to the underlying, hyperlinked data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Web browsers provide one of the most popular ways to access the internet. Broadly, a web browser is a computer program that provides a user friendly, graphical interface to display the contents of internet worldwide web pages (xe2x80x9cweb pagesxe2x80x9d). Web browser software directs the user""s computer to play sounds, run programs, download software, and display text, graphics, and video. Although invisible to the computer user, web browsers actually operate by retrieving and then executing a web site""s underlying program content, which takes the form of hypertext markup language (xe2x80x9cHTMLxe2x80x9d) or a similar language.
When displayed by a web browser, most web pages contain one or more xe2x80x9chyperlinks.xe2x80x9d From the user""s perspective, a hyperlink is an on-screen input mechanism, serving an analogous function as a switch, dial, or other physical input apparatus. Hyperlinks are often implemented as graphics icons or text strings. The user activates the hyperlink by operating his/her mouse to place the cursor over the hyperlink and then xe2x80x9cclickingxe2x80x9d a mouse button; in response, the web browser causes some action to be performed. Frequently, this action involves changing the web browser""s display to show a different web page, namely, that web page represented by the hyperlink. Other hyperlink actions include downloading software, displaying video, etc.
Some web browsers can be configured to automatically display hyperlinked web pages as underlined text. As an example, a web browser may display a hyperlink, consisting of xe2x80x9cIBM Patent Serverxe2x80x9d. When the user mouse-clicks on this hyperlink, the web browser loads a web page represented by the hyperlink, in this example xe2x80x9chttp://www.patents.ibm.com/ibm.html.xe2x80x9d Instead of automatically displaying hyperlinked web pages as underlined text, some web browsers can be configured to temporarily add underlining when the cursor nears the hyperlink text. This feature is present, for example, in the Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer Version 4.72.3612.1713, dated 1995-1997.
Although certain brands of web browser software enjoy widespread commercial success today, engineers at International Business Machines Corp. (xe2x80x9cIBMxe2x80x9d) are continually seeking to improve the performance and efficiency of the human-machine interface, including features such as web browsers. One feature under consideration, for example, is the use of one color (such as purple) to display hyperlinked web sites that the user has visited, and another color (such as blue) to display hyperlinked web sites that the user has not visited. As recognized by the present inventors, this arrangement may not be suitable for color blind people. In this and other respects, the present inventors have discovered that known web browser software is not completely adequate for some applications due to certain unsolved problems.
Broadly, the present invention provides a web browser program that enables a computer to present historical information about hyperlinks shown on web pages. Initially, the computer determines whether it is receiving certain user input, such as placement of a cursor over a hyperlink for a certain time. When this occurs, the computer accesses a database to determine whether the computer user has previously selected the hyperlink, in order to download underlying data represented by the hyperlink. Some examples of the underlying data include web pages, graphics images, software programs, and the like. If the user has never selected the hyperlink, no action needs to be taken. However, if the database shows that the user has previously selected this hyperlink, the computer consults the database to gather characteristics of the underlying data obtained from previous selections of the hyperlink. Such characteristics may include, for example, the data""s size, date of last download, expired or xe2x80x9cunder constructionxe2x80x9d status of web site, errors occurring during the download, etc. The computer presents text, graphics, sounds, and/or tactile output to report the characteristics gathered from the database.
In a different embodiment, the computer automatically compares all hyperlinks on the current web page to the historical database irrespective of user input, to more quickly report the results of this comparison when the cursor touches the hyperlinks.
In still another embodiment, there are one or more historical databases that are shared among two or more computers in an xe2x80x9caccess group.xe2x80x9d Databases may be shared, for instance, among networked computers, computers with users having common interests, computers whose users work for the same employer, etc. Thus, each user in the access group benefits from historical information about all group members"" past encounters with hyperlinked data. Users may even select from among a personal database and one or more databases shared by different groups.
The foregoing features of the invention may be implemented in many ways, including a method to operate a computer, responsive to a predetermined user input such as cursor proximity to a web site hyperlink, to present information representing various characteristics from past visits to the hyperlinked web site. In another embodiment, the invention may be implemented to provide an apparatus, such as a computer, configured to sense a predetermined input, such as cursor proximity to a web site hyperlink, and in response to present information representing various characteristics from past visits to the hyperlinked web site. In still another embodiment, the invention may be implemented to provide a signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital data processing apparatus to perform operations as described above. Another embodiment concerns logic circuitry having multiple interconnected electrically conductive elements configured to perform operations as described above.
The invention affords its users with a number of distinct advantages. Beneficially, whenever a user places the cursor near a hyperlinked web site, the invention conveniently presents a data-packed report of various useful characteristics from the user""s past visit(s) to that web site. In contrast to previous web browsers, which use mere color to distinguish between visited and non-visited web sites, the present invention""s report is useful to color blind people. Moreover, this additional information provides information that helps the user avoid time consuming and possibly unproductive selection of:
1. Hyperlinks that have previously led to web sites that were under construction.
2. Hyperlinks that have previously led to expired web pages or services.
3. Hyperlinks that have previously resulted in large amounts of software, images, or other data to download.
4. Hyperlinks that have had other undesirable characteristics, as encountered by the user during previous selection of those hyperlinks.
With the benefit of this information in advance, the user can avoid the time consuming pitfalls of selecting certain hyperlinks. Thus, the present invention ultimately helps computer users improve their time efficiency while utilizing the internet. By aiding users in avoiding undesirable links, the invention also serves to reduce overall internet traffic. In addition, by reporting whether the user has already bookmarked a hyperlink, the invention helps users avoid flooding their bookmarks with redundant entries. As still another benefit, the shared database feature of the invention assists individual users by providing historical access information encountered by members of an access group, even for hyperlinks that the individual user has never accessed. Another benefit is that the invention helps users return to valuable web pages that have proven to be relevant to their needs. The invention also provides a number of other advantages and benefits, which should be apparent from the following description of the invention.